Source: AllGov
Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky
In
the late 1990s, experts insisted it was highly unlikely the U.S. would
rely on new x-ray body scanners at airports and other security
checkpoints. But the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, reversed
that thinking and today there are hundreds of the machines in use,
despite health concerns that have kept the technology out of Europe.
Some health specialists argue that even low-level radiation
exposure poses an unacceptable risk to Americans going through airports.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), though, sees things differently, claiming body scanners are safe and effective. Nonetheless, on Tuesday John Pistole, the administrator of TSA, told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that his agency will authorize a new, independent study of x-ray and body scanner safety.
